Eddie Blazonczyk, was "The
Nation's Number #1 Polka Man" He was a friend to all polka fans around
the world. In 1972 I went to my first weekend festival. It was
Labor Day in Erie PA. The song that has been my favorite all these years
since I first heard it was Girls, Girls Girls by Eddie B. I fell in
love with his music and followed him ever since then. Back in 1991
Jay & I got married the first Saturday in May with our reception at Blob's
Park in Jessup, MD. Eddie & The Versatones played for our reception
and we received so many compliments from our non-polka friends who attended
the wedding, saying how much they enjoyed the music and the band. For
nine years after that we always celebrated our anniversary at Blob's Park
with Eddie B. on the first Saturday in May.

The following is a story I wrote
about Eddie B. This story is my tribute to one of the greatest polka
musicians ever. If you are a true Versatones fan you'll notice all the words
that are italicized are Song Titles that Eddie recorded through the
years. There are 105 titles. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed
writing it.The picture below the
story shows the placque I presented to Tony Blazonczyk September 15, 2012
at Polkamotion.

Eddie Blazonczyk had a typical
Musicians Life, traveling down Polka Road. He played in the
Happy Tappy, all the Polka Lounges in Chicago and At The
Tavern in other cities including Brighton Park. For many musicians
It's A Great Life for Bandleaders. He traveled on a Sea
Cruise, Far Away From Home. He went All Around The World,
even Going To Poland. During his Visit to Poland, he met the
Boy From Krakow, the Polish Highlander, The Village Girls and
the Goral as he listened to the Mountain Yodel and Mountaineer
Music. This was Four Miles From Warsaw, In Zakopane his Home
Away From Home In The Old Country.

His friends may have
told him Don't Get Married, stay a Happy Bachelor. Others said
Why Don't You Get Married. So Ed said I'm Happy Today, I Met A
Girl, A Lovely Girl Looking For A Boyfriend. He later said I Have
A Wife. I Got Married to my Cajun Polka Queen with the Pretty
Polish Blue Eyes. She's my Polish Girlfriend, The Girl Of My
Dreams in the White Blouse, Blue Skirt and Red Shoes,.
Her name is Tish and I told her I'll Never Let You Go because You're
The Only World I Know and We Were Made For Each Other. The Birds Were
Singing on The Day Of The Wedding and I bet they made a lovely
Bride And Groom.

I am Lovesick for
What's Cooking Under The Oak Tree In The Woods. Everybody's Reachin' Out
For Someone, Foolin' Around saying Come On Honey Cuddle Up To Me,
we are Alone Again. If It's Alright, Can I Have A Kiss? You're Looking
Pretty and I'm Crazy About You, Sweet Rosie. I Wanna Live with
that Sunshine Feeling and Sweet Memories Of You. Keep On Smiling,
In The Fields as the Meadowlark and Singing Birds whistle
A Sweet Melody. That Summer In Your Eyes, It Sure Looks Good On You,so I think I'll Give You A Kiss as we Dance Around The Christmas
Tree at Christmas Time.

Oh Me Oh My Please
May I Go in my Automobile to the Polka Dance Tonight at
the Ballroom? Mama Please Tell Me. I Wanna Wanna because I'd Like
To Polka and Dance And Sing to the Music Music Music of
Eddie Blazonczyk and The Versatones. When I Hear The Music I want
to Sing A Long with Loddy Lo. I know it's going to be a Polka
Celebration with Popcorn, Potato Chips and Pretzels to
snack on. Maybe even some Apples Peaches, Pumpkin Pie. When The Band Plays
A Polka, What Should I Do? Raz Dwa Trzy, Na Lewo, Na Prawa when they
play Accordion A Go Go, Clarinet, Fiddler's, or A Tribute To The
Band: The Versatones Greatest Hits.

Ed would always
say: Hello Everybody, Let's Go, Everybody Polka, Let's Have
A Party, Let's Celebrate Again. The crowd would shout
Let's Hear A Polka. Let's Dance and
Let's All Have A Good Time, Just Like All The Other Times At
The Square In Chicagotown where The Stars Were
Shining amid the Raindrops.
I Remember all the Happy Summer
parties at Seven Springs Ed would
always greet us by saying , Hi, Hello How Are You? It's Four
In The Morning Near The Shore in Ocean City or Wildwood, but
we all yell, Play Musicians, Play. Play Me An Oberek, It's
Polkatime. again. Let's Give A Hand To The Band
for all the Good Times and
Good Ol' Days we've had.

At The
Dance you would see all you friends, Johnnie,
Casey, Marek, Jake and Josephine. All The Girls, The Pretty Girls. Angie,
Betty, Wanda, Judy, Margaret, Rebecca, Rose Marie, Julida, Roseanne, Sweet
Charlotte Ann or the Chicago Girls. When I Leave
I wish I could have Five Minutes More
to dance with The Boys From
Chicago.

Eddie was
Polish and Proud Of It. He is our
Polka Hero and his Polka Music
Is Here To Stay. It's A Blue Blue Day as we say Farewell and
Goodbye Forever. We can't help Crying Over You. Saying Goodbye
is hard and it's going to be a Lonely World
without you. If Eddie could tell us something right now he
would say Remember Me and my family when you
Say A Prayer Tonight.

Ed,
We Like Polka Music and even though
It's All Over, I Know That You Know That I Love You. I Will
Love You Forever. As Life Rolls On, and AsThe
Years Pass by, I'll Never Forget You and I Won't
Forget your music. Let's Be Happy, Always Forever
And A Day that Eddie Blazonczyk enriched all of our lives
with his music and memories.